I Sure Hope This Desk Can Save Me!

     It was not too long ago when students would everyday right after saying the pledge of allegiance would have to duck under their desks and anticipate how a thin piece of plywood above their head could possibly save them if the United States was attacked by Russia and we were sent into a nuclear war. Over time this policy became dated, and the government acknowledged that the practice was of little use to save the children. Because of this the practice was discontinued and the government stopped wasting valuable tax dollars to advertise such a fallacy to the public. History seems to repeat itself apparently: “In a letter sent to educators, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged educators to join more than 1,600 schools, 70 colleges and universities and hundreds of local, state and federal government offices planning to participate in the “Great Central U.S. Shakeout,” occurring at 10:15 a.m. next Thursday, across 10 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. The 11th state, Indiana, conducted its drill today.”

Japanese elementary school children crouch under their desks during a powerful aftershock on April 12, 2011. The Obama administration is encouraging schools and universities to participate in an 11-state quake drill next week.

     It seems that in the wake of the earthquakes that struck Japan, the U.S. government is trying to create public awareness of the potential threat and uncertainty of when an earthquake may strike. Granted, a thin piece of plywood desk is more likely to protect a student during an earthquake rather than a nuclear bomb explosion, but doesn’t it seem more appropriate to spend the money used in this campaign to fortify building structures and update building codes to better protect our citizens against earthquakes. I can only wait to see how long it takes for this idea to become as much a fallacy as a nuclear bomb explosion.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/obama-administration-urging-schools-to-join-earthquake-drills/2011/04/19/AFrrQR6D_blog.html